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Channel NewsAsia 8 Dec 06 Integrated resorts will boost and fundamentally change Singapore's economy By Johnson Choo Channel NewsAsia 8 Dec 06 Genting "ecstatic" over winning bid for Sentosa IR New Straits Times 8 Dec 06 Genting wins closely-contested bid to build Singapore's second integrated resort Yahoo News 8 Dec 06 Malaysia's Genting wins Singapore's second casino licence Yahoo News 8 Dec 06 Genting wins Singapore casino contract By TANALEE SMITH, Associated Press Writer Yahoo News 8 Dec 06 Genting wins bid for Singapore's second casino Channel NewsAsia 8 Dec 06 Genting-Star Cruises consortium wins Sentosa integrated resort project By Wong Siew Yong SINGAPORE: The Genting International-Star Cruises consortium has aced the Sentosa integrated resort project. The result, just announced by Deputy Prime Minister Professor S Jayakumar at a news conference, came as no surprise as analysts had picked Genting as a frontrunner right from the start. Its $5.2 billion Resorts World At Sentosa will leverage on international brand names like Universal Studios, which will design 16 new rides specially for the resort. Besides the Universal Studios theme park, there will also be 3 other water-themed attractions, including a surf pool. Visitors will be able to observe some 700,000 fish species in one of the world's largest oceanariums. Genting's proposal also includes six hotels with over 1,800 rooms for both leisure and business travellers. Earlier, market watchers had picked Genting as a favourite to win due to its Asian experience. The resort is expected to attract 10 million visitors and generate $15 billion in tourism receipts by 2015. The Sentosa integrated resort is expected to be ready in 2010. In a statement to the media, Kerzner-CapitaLand expressed their disappointment in not being selected for the Sentosa IR, but congratulated Genting International-Star Cruises for winning the bid. - CNA /dt Channel NewsAsia 8 Dec 06 Genting "ecstatic" over winning bid for Sentosa IR Ecstatic, extremely delighted, very excited and honoured. The Genting International-Star Cruises Consortium used these choice words to sum up their feelings on the Friday evening announcement by the Singapore government that the Genting consortium had won the tender to develop the Sentosa Integrated Resort. In a news release the Genting International-Star Cruises Consortium said that it was ecstatic that Singapore accepted its proposal to develop Resorts World at Sentosa. “We are extremely delighted to have been chosen and are very excited and honoured to be entrusted with the great task of taking Singapore’s tourism sector to the next level,” said Lim Kok Thay, Chairman of Genting International and Star Cruises. “We have the means and ability to shift the paradigm of tourism here and look forward to contribute to the next chapter of Singapore’s tourism success story.” Resorts World at Sentosa, will be launched by early 2010 and Lim said “The Consortium promises to deliver an integrated resort that Singaporeans will be proud of, one that will contribute significantly to the local economy and community.” “In three years, visitors will experience first-hand Resorts World at Sentosa, the global tourism icon that we envision it to be. It will change the face of tourism in the region. We are confident that by 2010, Resorts World at Sentosa will attract 15 million visitors.” Genting has committed a development investment of S$3.85 billion. Together with the land price and other associated capital costs, the total investment by Genting is S$5.2 billion. Genting is expected to generate about $2.7 billion to Singapore’s annual Gross Domestic Product and about 30,000 jobs throughout the economy by 2015. Channel NewsAsia 8 Dec 06 The winning elements in Genting's Resorts World at Sentosa The bid by Infinity@The Bay Pte Ltd, a Joint Venture Company between Genting International & Star Cruises (“Genting”) to develop the Integrated Resort (IR) on Sentosa, has been described an excellent IR development that will strengthen Singapore’s overall appeal to visitors, positioning Sentosa and Singapore firmly as a top-of-mind, fun and exciting family destination. In a news release, the Singapore Tourism Board said that the bids received from Genting, Kerzner CapitaLand Integrated Resorts Pte Ltd and Eighth Wonder Pte Ltd underwent rigorous evaluation of both the qualitative and quantitative factors, and Genting had submitted the best proposal overall. The Resorts World at Sentosa design is a collection of resorts within a resort so visitors can have a multi-resort experience. The anchor family leisure attractions include The Universal Studios Singapore Theme Park, The Quest Marine Life Park, The Equarius Water Park, The Maritime Xperiential Museum, and other entertainment offerings located along FestiveWalk. Universal Studios will have its largest theme park in Asia at Resorts World at Sentosa offering 22 attractions within seven themed worlds, of which 16 will be specially designed for Singapore. It will be developed at the east side of the IR site, using the theme “Ride the movies” and the attractions will be comparable to those found in Universal Studios Orlando and Islands of Adventure. There will be seven themed worlds within Universal Studios Singapore namely: Waterworld, Lost World, Egypt, Super Hero City, Back Lot-The Big Apple, Hollywood Boulevard and Cartoon Studios. Key highlights include the all-new “Journey to Madagascar” attraction and the Dreamworks Digital Animation Studios which will showcase the cutting edge of movie-making and real-time animation. Resorts World at Sentosa will also offer other family entertainment experiences such as Quest Marine Life Park an oceanarium spanning 8 hectares with the largest single marine tank in the world, a 6.5 million gallon Whale Shark Lagoon, and interactive dolphin habitat, operated by the world-renowned Dolphin Quest. Other attractions include the 1.3 hectares Equarius Water Park which is a water theme park custom-designed to integrate with the hillside terrain of Sentosa and a Maritime Xperiential Museum set at the waterfront. This is expected to be the world’s first maritime silk route museum, dedicated to the subject of the maritime silk route between East Asia and the Middle East and will house the world’s first historical research centre dedicated to the subject. There will also be exhibits such as a full-scale glass replica of an ancient trading ship, a 360-degrees multimedia motion shipwreck theatre as well as live performances by acrobats on-board the ‘Bao Chuan” (Zheng He boat). There will also be entertainment along the retail, dining and entertainment precinct of FestiveWalk, three public amphitheatres: The ShowPlace, an open-air 2,150 seat public amphitheatre; The Bull Ring, a 6,300 seating capacity amphitheatre; and Imagineering, a 1,714 seating capacity theatre which provides a magical dreamlike show with water, light and visual effects. Visitors will also be able to catch the Crane Ballet, a showcase of multi-media moving art with choreographed animatronic crane dances nightly at the Festivewalk, with colourful streams of light, water and fire, all in sync with music and enhanced with video images on giant LCD screens. Resorts World at Sentosa will also feature a resident show – ‘Le Vie’ (Life)which is put together by members from the same creative team behind the Cirque du Soleil blockbusters such as ‘KA’ and ‘O’ in Las Vegas. There will be a total of six hotels offering 1,830 rooms including a first-in-the-world hotel - Hotel Michael - designed by award-winning architect, Michael Graves. In addition, there is the ESPA Spa centre, offering programmes for wellness and self-improvement as well as 42 private ESPA Villas. Visitors will also be able to be entertained at signature gourmet restaurants with Masterchefs such as Alain Fabregues, Alan Wong, Scott Webster, Marlon Abele-MARC Group, Gary Kunz, Harlan Goldstein, Susur Lee, Luke Mangan and Don Pintabona. STB said the overall composition of buildings, form and massing responds well to the existing fabric of Sentosa. The architecture is human scale with a village-like festive ambience. The site is well laid out, providing visitors with a clear visual orientation to key attractions and facilities. What made the Resort devlopment attractive was the responsiveness to the tropical climate with extensive use of water, landscaping and materials such as stone and wood. Most of the major attractions are designed with canopies, covered walkways and landscaped features to enhance visitors' experience in all-weather condition and there's been attractive night lighting to highlight the architectural features of the individual buildings and character of different zones. There will be meeting facilities to host approximately 12,000 delegates in 3 key venues, namely; 1,600 theatre-style seating Le Vie Showroom / Plenary Hall , a 7,300 theatre-style seating Ballroom and 22 Meeting Rooms capable of hosting more than 3000 people. In addition, there are seven indoor venues as well as 10 outdoor incentive venues. There will also be flagship concept retail stores including new retail brands not currently in Singapore such as Bershka, Stradavarius, Cortefiel, Promod, as well as The Universal Store and Hamleys toy store. cna/sf Channel NewsAsia 8 Dec 06 Integrated resorts will boost and fundamentally change Singapore's economy By Johnson Choo SINGAPORE: Malaysia's Genting International says it is ecstatic that the Singapore government has accepted its proposal for the Sentosa Integrated resort which will be called Resorts World at Sentosa. The casino, cruise and entertainment park operator likened its proposal as a "must see, must visit" family resort. Analysts say there is much for Singapore to cheer as well. Besides getting a Universal Studios theme park at its doorstep, the new integrated resort, together with the Marina Bay Sands, will boost Singapore's economy and fundamentally change its tourism industry. After a tight race, the Sentosa project was finally awarded to Infinity@The Bay - the joint venture company of Genting International and Star Cruises. The win is expected to have a positive impact on Star Cruises' cruise centre operations which is located just across the water from the Sentosa site at HarbourFront. With a total of four theme parks and six hotels planned, Resorts World at Sentosa is expected to create some 10,000 new jobs. Analysts believe the integrated resorts will be able to successfully attract more tourist arrivals, not only from the region but also from the rest of the world. Song Seng Wun, Regional Economist at CIMB-GK Research, says: "Together with the development in Sentosa in terms of more luxury homes attracting a whole new level of visitors or residents here, perhaps it will create higher value-added hospitality-related spin-offs for the economy." As part of its Tourism 2015 targets, the Singapore government hopes to draw in 10 million visitors in 2015 and generate an estimated S$15 billion in tourist receipts. "We may not get the 25 million visitors that Hong Kong gets, but if the 10 or 15 million visitors we get spend more per head, that would have much more significant impact on the services sector, hospitality-related sector than any of the single-event before that. To me, the award of IR probably marked the potential of reshaping the tourism sector in Singapore in the years to come," says Mr Song. Economists predict the Singapore economy could grow between 6.5 to 7.5 percent when the resorts are operational from 2009. The construction sector is also expected to benefit by growing 10 to 15 percent on year from now to 2009. - CNA/so New Straits Times 8 Dec 06 Genting wins closely-contested bid to build Singapore's second integrated resort SINGAPORE: Malaysia’s Genting International has been named the winner of Singapore’s second casino licence for a gaming and entertainment complex on Sentosa island. “The successful proposal for the integrated resort on Sentosa is Genting International and Star Cruises,” Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar told reporters. Genting and its sister company Star Cruises have tied up with Universal Parks and Resorts of the United States for the project, promising to invest more than S$5 billion (about RM11 billion). Analysts said Genting’s plan to build a Universal Studios theme park made it a favourite to clinch the bid, which was judged largely on its tourism appeal. Universal Studios theme parks, which already operate in Japan and the United States, will design 16 new rides specially for the resort. And along with its showpiece Universal park, Genting said it will build the world’s largest oceanarium complete with a water feature, maritime museum and six hotels offering more than 1,800 rooms. Bahamas-based casino operator Kerzner International teamed with Southeast Asia’s largest property group CapitaLand, and privately-held Eighth Wonder of the United States, are the other two bidders for the project. Eighth Wonder undertook its bid with Australia’s Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd and Hong Kong’s Melco International Development Ltd, who operate together in the Chinese gambling enclave of Macau, and with Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. All three contenders pledged to spend more than S$5 billion if awarded the project. Last May, the first casino licence went to Las Vegas Sands which is due to open its resort in 2009. - AFP Yahoo News 8 Dec 06 Malaysia's Genting wins Singapore's second casino licence SINGAPORE (AFP) - Singapore has named Malaysia's Genting International as winner of the city-state's second casino licence. "The successful proposal for the integrated resort on Sentosa is Genting International and Star Cruises," Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar told reporters Friday. He said the two firms "submitted the most compelling proposal overall that best meets our economic and tourism objectives." Genting and its sister company Star Cruises have tied up with Universal Parks and Resorts of the United States for the project on Sentosa island, promising to invest more than five billion Singapore dollars (3.2 billion US). Analysts said Genting's plan to build a Universal Studios theme park made it favourite to clinch the bid, which was judged largely on its tourism appeal. Universal Studios theme parks already operate in Japan and the United States where they offer attractions including "Revenge of the Mummy -- The Ride" and "Terminator 2:3D". The Genting team was up against two other bidders including Bahamas-based casino operator Kerzner International which joined forces with Southeast Asia's largest property group, local firm CapitaLand. The third contender, privately-held Las Vegas firm Eighth Wonder, launched its bid with Australia's Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd and Hong Kong's Melco International Development Ltd, who operate together in the Chinese gambling enclave of Macau, and with Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. "All three bidders submitted high-quality proposals," Jayakumar said. The proposed five billion dollar investment in the project is roughly in line with that planned for Singapore's first casino development along Marina Bay near Singapore's commercial heart. Singapore awarded its first casino licence in May to Las Vegas Sands, which also has operations in Macau, for its proposal aimed at strengthening Singapore's position as a top meeting and conventions destination. Genting International was one of the losing bidders for that project which is expected to open in 2009, closely followed by the Sentosa development. Analysts said Genting's chances were much better this time with its plans for the 49-hectare (121 acre) site on Sentosa, a tourist destination that already has hotels, golf courses, an aquarium and marina. Along with its showpiece Universal park, Genting said it would build the world's largest oceanarium complete with a water park, maritime museum and six hotels offering more than 1,800 rooms. "In particular, the proposal reflects our vision for the Sentosa integrated resort as a large-scale, family resort with its host of world-class family leisure attractions and other offerings," Jayakumar said. He said the government intended the development to strengthen Sentosa's island resort offerings, adding that key attractions should draw "a large number of new visitors to Singapore" and extend their length of stay. Genting said last month that its proposed Singapore development would complement, not compete with, its flagship Genting Highlands development in Malaysia. Despite a rare public debate in the city-state where voices of dissent are rarely heard, the government last year gave approval for two casino "resorts" -- with gaming alongside other facilities -- to boost the city's staid image and draw more tourists. The announcement of Genting's win came two days after the government said visitor arrivals in Singapore hit a new record of nine million so far this year, eclipsing the 8.9 million arrivals for all of 2005. Yahoo News 8 Dec 06 Genting wins Singapore casino contract By TANALEE SMITH, Associated Press Writer SINGAPORE - Singapore on Friday awarded its second casino resort contract to Genting International, whose S$5.2 billion ($3.38 billion) proposal promises to lure thousands of visitors with a Universal Studios theme park and a huge outdoor marine park. Malaysia's Genting, partnered with Star Cruises, was the analysts' choice over its two competitors to build and operate the integrated resort, which is scheduled to open in 2010 on a 121-acre plot on Sentosa Island. Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar told a news conference that Genting provided "the most compelling proposal overall that best meets our economic and tourism objectives." "In particular, the proposal reflects our vision for the Sentosa integrated resort as a large scale family resort with its host of world-class family leisure activities and other strong offerings," Jayakumar said. The two other bidders for the contract were Bahamas-based Kerzner International Ltd. and Eighth Wonder, a Las Vegas-based company whose founder Mark Advent created the New York New York casino. The second casino, which will be called Resorts World at Sentosa, is expected to attract new and repeat tourism and raise Singapore's profile as a family destination. Resorts World at Sentosa will include six hotels — one designed by American architect Michael Graves — with more than 1,800 rooms. It is expected to contribute S$2.7 billion to Singapore's economy, or 0.8 percent of the city-state's gross domestic product, as well as add 30,000 jobs by 2015, Trade Minister Lim Hng Kiang said. Officials also praised the bid for a design that reflected the tropical resort feel of the island, with extensive use of water, stone and wood materials and landscaping. Genting's proposal promises an 20-acre marine park where visitors can snorkel with 200 species of animals and stop by a whale shark lagoon. Resorts World at Sentosa will also include a Universal Studios theme park with 22 attractions, 16 designed specifically for Singapore, and a DreamWorks animation studio. The Universal Studios theme park will take up roughly half of the site. The resort will have meeting facilities, retail stores and a 1,600-seat theater for a resident show by the team behind Cirque du Soleil. Singapore last year reversed its decades-old ban on casino gambling in an ambitious attempt to double visitor arrivals to 17 million by 2015. The first contract was awarded in May to Las Vegas Sands Corp., which plans to open its US$3.6 billion casino resort by July 2009. For the second casino, the government evaluated the proposals based on tourism appeal — a hefty 45 percent of the criteria — architectural design, level of investment and strength of the bidding consortium and partners. Bahamas-based Kerzner had teamed up with CapitaLand, Southeast Asia's largest property developer, with a S$5.28 billion ($3.4 billion) proposal to build a futuristic version of its Bahamas Atlantis resort which included the world's largest aquarium. Eighth Wonder led a four-partner consortium that envisioned a S$5.5 billion ($3.57 billion) resort built into a hollowed-out volcano crater, with a 10-story-high waterfall that was to part each evening for a nightly show of acrobats and dancers. Yahoo News 8 Dec 06 Genting wins bid for Singapore's second casino SINGAPORE, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Malaysian gambling and leisure group Genting Bhd. has won the licence to build and run Singapore's second casino resort, the city-state said on Friday. Genting's $3.1 billion proposal for the resort island of Sentosa trumped two other bids, from privately held Eighth Wonder and Bahamas-based Kerzner, with a proposal to build a huge marine park and a Universal Studios theme park. "The proposal reflects our vision for the Sentosa Integrated Resort -- a large-scale family resort that boasts world-class family leisure attractions," Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar told a press briefing on Sentosa, a small island just south of the city-state. The casino, set to open by early 2010, is the second of two gaming resorts that Singapore hopes will boost its services sector, almost double tourist arrivals to 17 million people by 2015 and triple tourism receipts to S$30 billion ($19.5 billion). In May, U.S. gaming giant Las Vegas Sands won the bid for Singapore's first casino resort along its downtown waterfront -- a project that is expected to cost more than $3.2 billion and open by 2010. "We believe these two IRs (integrated resorts) will bring us closer to the 2015 tourism target," Singapore Minister of Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang said. He added that he expected the Sentosa casino will add about 30,000 new jobs to the economy. While the Sands casino will have facilities to attract convention and business visitors, the Genting resort will boast a range of family-oriented leisure facilities. Genting, which bid through affiliates Genting International and cruise operator Star Cruises Ltd , plans to build an 8-hectare marine park where visitors can snorkel among 200 different species of aquatic animals including whale sharks. It has also teamed up with theme park giant Universal Studios to build roller-coaster rides and movie-based attractions at a cost of $1 billion. ASIAN GAMBLING MARKET BOOMS Analysts say the two projects will help Singapore shake off its staid image and capture part of Macau's success as a gambling centre for Asia's increasingly wealthy and mobile middle class. According to Las Vegas-based consultancy Globalysis, casino revenues in Asia will hit US$13 billion this year, driven by explosive growth from the tiny Chinese city of Macau -- which already rakes in more gambling revenues than the Las Vegas Strip. "The Singapore economy will be the big winner," said Citigroup analyst Chua Hak Bin, who said the projects could boost Singapore's economy by as much as 0.3-0.5 percentage points in 2010. The total investment costs of both Singapore casinos is expected to be nearly $7 billion. Singapore's decision to scrap a ban on casinos last year has helped fuel interest amongst some other Asian countries to liberalise their own gaming rules. Japanese lawmakers are in discussions to legalise casino gambling while South Korean officials are considering liberalising their rules to encourage foreign investment. links
Earlier media articles about Genting's plans
About Dolphin Quest and dolphins in captivity
Earlier responses: letters, blog posts
More related articles
on Southern Islands Development Plans
including the Sentosa IR and about dolphins |
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